Nepal’s women’s cricket team began its international journey in 2007 without full-time cricketers. The team was composed of athletes from other sports and took part in the first ACC Women’s T20 Championship. Despite being new, Nepal topped its group, defeating Thailand and Hong Kong, and reached the final. Although they lost to Bangladesh, this early success showed promise for women’s cricket in Nepal.
Following initial achievements, Nepal’s under-19 women’s team won regional championships in 2008 and 2010. However, progress slowed due to administrative issues and the suspension of the Cricket Association of Nepal. Meanwhile, Thailand improved steadily and started to outperform Nepal. Thailand defeated Nepal multiple times in regional tournaments from 2009 onward and qualified for the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup.
In recent years, Nepal has struggled against Thailand, losing several key matches, including the 2025 Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier. Despite these defeats, Nepal secured a spot in the Global Qualifier for the 2026 World Cup after narrowly beating the UAE. This marks the first time Nepal’s senior women’s team reached this stage, showing historic progress even as the performance gap remains.
The Global Qualifier will feature ten teams competing for four spots in the World Cup. Scotland, Bangladesh, and the USA have already qualified, while other teams from Europe, Africa, and East Asia-Pacific regions will compete for the remaining places. Nepal faces tough competition from experienced teams like the Netherlands, Ireland, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Uganda, and Kenya. Since gaining full international status in 2018, Nepal has yet to defeat some of these teams.
Nepal’s Cricket Association has planned a busy year ahead to prepare the women’s team. Upcoming tournaments include the ACC Women’s T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup in Sri Lanka and a tri-series in Malaysia. Additional tours and a pentangular series at home are also scheduled. New fitness and coaching staff are expected to help improve the team’s performance. With more young players entering the sport, Nepal’s pool of talent is growing.
Nepal’s women’s cricket team now stands at an important point in its development. While early promise has faded in recent years, qualification for the Global Qualifier shows potential. The coming months will be critical for Nepal to close the gap with regional and global rivals as they aim for a place in the 2026 World Cup.
